1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of controlling an electronic system for a movable body, which includes an information outputting apparatus for a movable body installed within a car, such as a car audio system and the like, and a navigation apparatus for a movable body, such as an on-vehicle type. It also relates to an electronic system for a movable body, as well as a program storage device and a computer data signal embodiment in a carrier wave, which allow a computer to function as the above-mentioned controlling apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An on-vehicle information outputting apparatus, such as a car audio system, a car stereo, a car television and the like, is designed so as to reproduce a signal from a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD, an MD (Mini Disc), a cassette tape or the like, and perform an audio-output and/or a video-output inside the car by using a speaker, a display device and the like which are installed within the car. Or, it is designed so as to receive an electric wave for a radio and a television, and demodulate it, and then perform an audio-output and/or a video-output inside the car.
On the other hand, the on-vehicle navigation apparatus is designed so as to display map data, current position data, various guide data and the like on a display device, and/or output a voice of a guide message, an alarm message or the like for the navigation by using a speaker installed within the car.
The information outputting apparatus and the navigation apparatus, which are intended to be installed within the same car, are typically designed so as to share the display device, the speaker and the like.
However, the information output device and the navigation device, which are installed within the car, have only the functions independently of each other. Thus, input data for navigation (for example, destination data) and output data (for example, a necessary time length until the arrival at the destination, a route and the like) cannot be reflected in an audio output and a video output in the information output device. It is troublesome and difficult for a driver or a fellow passenger, who inputs the destination as a peculiarly geographical name, for example, such as xe2x80x9cKUJUKURIHAMA (KUJUKURI-beach)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSHONANKAIGANxe2x80x9d (SHONAN-coast), xe2x80x9cYATSUGATAKE (YATSU-mountains)xe2x80x9d or the like, to investigate and determine what is an audio information (for example, a music composition related to xe2x80x9cSeaxe2x80x9d) or a video information (for example, a music composition related to xe2x80x9cSeaxe2x80x9d) appropriate for this destination, and it is further troublesome and difficult for the driver or the fellow passenger, who has already ridden in the car, to set or operate the information output device so as to output the determined audio information (for example, a music album, a set of music compositions of the same artist, a radio program and the like) and/or the determined video information (for example, a movie, an electronic book, a television program and the like). Hence, the artificial work itself, such as the selection of the audio information and the video information appropriate for the traveling state of the self-car traveling towards the destination as mentioned above is rarely actually carried out.
As mentioned above, there is a problem that if the various electronic apparatuses in the recent years are commonly used, or even if the navigation apparatus and the information outputting apparatus for the movable body which are established within the electronic system for the same movable body are used, the audio information and/or the video information appropriate for the traveling state of the self-car cannot be outputted.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for and a method of controlling an electronic system for a movable body, which can control the electronic system for the movable body which includes an information outputting apparatus for the movable body and a navigation apparatus for the movable body so that audio information and/or the video information appropriate for the traveling state of the movable body can be outputted, and an electronic system for a movable body having such a controlling apparatus, as well as a program storage device and a computer data signal embodiment in a carrier wave, which allow a computer to function as the controlling apparatus.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a controlling apparatus for controlling an electronic system for a movable body, the electronic system provided with: an information outputting apparatus having an output device which outputs a content information including at least one of an audio information and a video information; and a navigation apparatus, which is equipped with an input device through which a destination in a movement of a movable body can be inputted and which carries out a navigation operation with regard to the destination inputted by the input device, the controlling apparatus provided with: a selecting device which selects the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling device which controls the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting device, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.
According to the controlling apparatus, in the electronic system for the movable body, the content information including the video information is displayed on a picture plane of a display device, which is equipped in the information outputting apparatus such as a car audio system, a car stereo system, a car TV system, a portable TV system or the like. Alternatively, the content information including the audio information is sound-outputted from a speaker mounted on the car, a headphone of the portable audio system or the like. At this time, as the video information, there are movies, dramas, animations or the like, which are reproduced from a record medium such as a CD, a DVD, a hard disc etc., or which are radio-wave-received and demodulated, as well as the text information etc., which are image-formed to be displayed. As the audio information, there are the music compositions, which are reproduced from a record medium such as a CD, a DVD, a hard disc etc., or which are radio-wave-received and demodulated, as well as the audio information accompanying the video information, the text information which are made into the sound or the like. Incidentally, in the present invention, the information which can be outputted in an arbitrary form to the driver or the fellow passenger or the moving person by the information outputting apparatus, including those video information and audio information, is called as the xe2x80x9ccontent informationxe2x80x9d. Also in the present invention, the xe2x80x9cmovable bodyxe2x80x9d has a broad meaning, which means not only a car, an auto mobile or a vehicle, a ship, an airplane or the like, on which the information outputting apparatus and the navigation apparatus for the movable body are mounted, but also a human being which walks and carries the electronic system for the movable body or the information outputting apparatus and the navigation apparatus for the movable body.
On the other hand, in the electronic system for the movable body, the navigation apparatus measures the current position by the GPS (Global Positioning System) measurement and/or the self-sustained or dead-reckoning positioning measurement. Then, it may calculate an optimum route to a destination from the current position to thereby display the optimum route. It may calculate a necessary time length to arrive at a destination. It may display the map information at the vicinity of the current position on the display device, and may superimpose a current position mark on the displayed map information. As described above, the navigation apparatus performs navigation operations. The navigation apparatus of the present invention is at least provided with an input device through which the destination in the movement of the movable body can be inputted, such as a key, a mouse, a touch panel, a voice-inputting device or the like.
Especially, by the selecting device, the content information corresponding to the destination inputted by the input device is selected from among the content information, which has been stored in the memory or the like in advance or has been downloaded through the communication device from a database, or as the content information to be downloaded through the communication device from a database, for outputting. For example, when a destination is inputted as a peculiarly geographical name, for example, such as xe2x80x9cKUJUKURIHAMA (KUJUKURI-beach)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSHONANKAIGAN (SHONAN-coast)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cYATSUGATAKE (YATSUGA-mountain)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cYOKOHAMA (YOKOHAMA-city)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCHIBA (CHIBA-city or prefecture)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cNAGANO (NAGANO-prefecture)xe2x80x9d, and the like, or as an abstractly geographic name, such as xe2x80x9cSeaxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSeasidexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cPortxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cMountainxe2x80x9d and the like, a music album and a set of music compositions of the same artist related to the xe2x80x9cSEAxe2x80x9d, for example, is selected, or a movie, a comic, or the like related to the xe2x80x9cSEAxe2x80x9d is selected as the content information corresponding to the destination. Moreover, it is possible to select such content information corresponding to the geographic name from among the video pictures and/or music compositions belonging to the favorite artists or genres preset in accordance with the tastes of a driver, a fellow passenger, a moving person and the like. It is also possible to prepare a music composition list or a play list, which is composed of a plurality of music compositions and which indicates a combination of a plurality of content information depending on the inputted destination. Furthermore, it is possible to select a story or the like recorded on a tape, an electronic book, and the like corresponding to the destination. It is also possible to select a television program and/or a radio program corresponding to the destination. Then, the output device outputs the content information selected by the selecting device under the control of the output controlling device during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination. Therefore, the content information corresponding to the destination inputted at the navigation apparatus is outputted during the movement.
In this manner, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement state of the movable body, in the electronic system for the movable body, which includes the information outputting apparatus and the navigation apparatus.
In one aspect of the controlling apparatus of the present invention, the selecting device selects one or a plurality of content information related to the inputted destination, by retrieving a database, which correlates a preset geographical name with the one or plurality of content information, by using the inputted destination as a keyword.
According to this aspect, the database correlating the geographical name with the one or plurality of content information is constructed in a memory device contained in the electronic system for the movable body or constructed in a server device accessible through a communication device, for example. When the destination is inputted by the input device, the selecting device selects the one or plurality of content information related to the destination by retrieving the database, by using the destination as the keyword. Therefore, by using one database, it is possible to select the content information corresponding to the destination relatively easily and speedily, and thereby possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement state of the movable body.
In this aspect, the selecting device may select the content information on the basis of a relational degree on the plurality of content information related to at least one geographical name.
By constituting in this manner, when inputting one destination, in case that a plurality of content information are correlated with this destination on the database, it is possible to restrict the selected number of content information within a suitable number on the basis of the relational degree. Thus, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement state of the movable body.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the database.
In another aspect of the controlling apparatus of the present invention, the selecting device determines an output order of the plurality of content information to be outputted at the output device in case of selecting the plurality of content information, and the output controlling device controls the output device so as to output the plurality of content information in the output order determined by the selecting device.
According to this aspect, in case of selecting the plurality of content information, the selecting device not only selects them, but also determines the output order of them at the output device. For example, a music composition list or a play list including the output order is constructed. Then, the output device outputs the plurality of content information in accordance with thus determined music composition list or the like, so that it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
In this aspect in which the output order is also determined, the selecting device may determine the output order on the basis of a relational degree on the plurality of content information related to at least one geographical name.
By constituting in this manner, when inputting one destination, in case that a plurality of content information are correlated with this inputted one destination on the database, the output order of them is determined on the basis of the relational degree. Accordingly, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the database.
In this aspect in which the output order is also determined, the selecting device may determine the output order such that the content information having a higher relational degree to the destination among the plurality of content information is outputted in vicinity of the destination.
By constituting in this manner, the content information, which has a higher relational degree to the destination, is outputted as the movable body approaches the destination. Thus, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
In another aspect of the controlling apparatus of the present invention, the selecting device selects one or a plurality of relational keywords related to the inputted destination by retrieving a first database, which correlates a preset geographical name with the one or plurality of relational keywords, by using the inputted destination as a keyword, and selects the one or plurality of content information related to the selected relational keyword or keywords by retrieving a second database, which correlates a preset relational keyword with the one or plurality of content information, by using the selected relational keyword or keywords as a keyword.
According to this aspect, the first database, which correlates the geographical name with the one or plurality of relational keywords, is constructed in a memory device contained in the electronic system for the movable body or constructed in a server device accessible through a communication device, for example. When the destination is inputted by the input device, the selecting device selects the one or plurality of relational keywords related to the destination, by retrieving the first database by using the destination as the keyword. The relational keywords may be an abstractly geographic name such as xe2x80x9cSeaxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCoastxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cBayxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cMountainxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cHot Springxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cTemplexe2x80x9d, or the like, or may be an abstract name such as xe2x80x9cSkixe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCampxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cMoviexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cShipxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cWedding Ceremonyxe2x80x9d or the like. Further, the second database, which correlates the relational keyword with one or a plurality of content information, is constructed in a memory device contained in the electronic system for the movable body or constructed in a server device accessible through a communication device, for example. Then, after the relational keyword is selected from the first database, the selecting device retrieves the second database by using this selected relational keyword as the keyword this time, so as to select one or a plurality of content information related with the relational keyword. Therefore, by using two databases, it is possible to select the content information corresponding to the destination relatively easily and speedily, and thus, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
In this aspect related to the first and second databases, the selecting device may select the relational keyword or keywords on the basis of a relational degree on the plurality of relational keywords related to at least one geographical name.
By constituting in this manner, when inputting one destination, in case that a plurality of content information are correlated with this destination on the first database, it is possible to restrict the selected number of content information within a suitable number on the basis of the relational degree.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the first database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the first database.
In this aspect related to the first and second databases, the selecting device may select the content information on the basis of a relational degree on the plurality of content information related to at least one relational keyword.
By constituting in this manner, after selecting the relational keyword on the first database, in case that the plurality of content information are correlated with this relational keyword on the second database, it is possible to restrict the selected number of content information within a suitable number on the basis of the relational degree.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the second database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the second database.
In this aspect related to the first and second databases, the selecting device determines an output order of the content information to be outputted at the output device in case of selecting the plurality of content information, and the output controlling device controls the output device so as to output the plurality of content information in the output order determined by the selecting device.
By constituting in this manner, in case of selecting the plurality of content information, the selecting device not only selects them, but also determines the output order of them at the output device. For example, a music composition list or a play list including the output order is constructed. Then, the output device outputs the plurality of content information in accordance with this determined music composition list or the like, so that it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
In this aspect in which the output order is also determined, the selecting device may determine the output order on the basis of a relational degree on a plurality of relational keywords related to at least one geographical name.
By constituting in this manner, when inputting one destination, in case that a plurality of content information are correlated with this inputted one destination on the first database, the output order of the content information further correlated with the relational keyword is determined on the basis of the relational degree. Accordingly, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the first database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the first database.
In this aspect in which the output order is also determined, the selecting device determines the output order on the basis of a relational degree on the plurality of content information related to at least one relational keyword.
By constituting in this manner, in case that the plurality of content information are correlated with the relational keyword selected on the first database, the output order of the content information is determined on the basis of the relational degree. Accordingly, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
Incidentally, information indicating such a relational degree may be stored in the second database, together with the content information or separately from the content information, in correlation with each of the content information. Alternatively, a selection condition at the selecting device (e.g., an order of retrieving) may be correlated with the relational degree, or information indicating such a relational degree may be generated on the basis of the selection condition. Further, this generated information may be stored in the second database.
In this aspect in which the output order is also determined, the selecting device determines the output order such that the content information having a higher relational degree to the destination among the plurality of content information is outputted in vicinity of the destination.
By constituting in this manner, the content information, which has a higher relational degree to the destination, is outputted as the movable body approaches the destination. Thus, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement condition of the movable body.
In this aspect related to the first and second databases, after selecting one relational keyword, the selecting device further selects one or a plurality of different relational keywords related to the one selected relational keyword, by retrieving the first database by using the one selected relational keyword as a keyword.
By constituting in this manner, one relational keyword related to the destination is selected as the selecting device retrieves the first database. Further after that, by retrieving the first database by using this selected one relational keyword as the keyword, one or a plurality of different relational keywords related with this selected one relational keyword are further selected. Namely, so to speak xe2x80x9cindirectly relatedxe2x80x9d relational keyword or keywords are selected, via one relational keyword, not directly related with the destination. Therefore, if the relational keyword or keywords in a certain amount and further the content information related to those keywords with respect to one destination cannot be selected, it is possible to avoid the shortage in the content information related to the destination, by including the content information related to the relational keyword indirectly related in this manner into the selection object. Incidentally, it is not always necessary to retrieve the first database by using the once selected relational keyword or keywords if the relational keyword or keywords in a certain amount and further the content information related to those keywords with respect to one destination can be selected. On the contrary, even after further retrieving the first database by using the relational keyword as the keyword, if the relational keyword or keywords in a certain amount and further the content information related to those keywords with respect to one destination cannot be selected, it is possible to repeat retrieving the first database, by using the retrieved relational keyword or keywords as the keyword. In addition, in case of repeatedly performing the retrieval in this manner by using the relational keyword or keywords as the keyword, it is possible to utilize the information indicating at which times it is retrieved as the aforementioned information indicting the relational degree.
In another aspect of the controlling apparatus of the present invention, the navigation apparatus is further provided with a calculating device which calculates a necessary time length required for the movable body to arrive at the destination inputted by the input device from a current position of the movable body, and the selecting device selects the content information in accordance with the calculated necessary time length in addition to the destination.
According to this aspect, when the destination is inputted by the input device, the calculating device calculates the necessary time length required for the movable body to arrive at the destination. Then, the selecting device selects the content information in accordance with the calculated necessary time length in addition to the destination. For example, if the destination is xe2x80x9cKUJUKURIHAMA (KUJUKURI-beach)xe2x80x9d and if the necessary time length is 2 hours, the music composition list or the like comprising a plurality of content information related to xe2x80x9coceanxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cseaxe2x80x9d for 2 hours is prepared.
In this aspect, the navigation apparatus may be further provided with a monitoring device which monitors whether or not the movement of the movable body is on schedule, and the selecting device may apply a change onto the content information to be outputted after a current time point if the movement of the movable body is not on schedule according to a monitor result of the monitoring device.
By constituting in this manner, the monitoring device monitors whether or not the movement of the movable body is on schedule. Then, if the movement of the movable body is not on schedule according to a monitor result of the monitoring device, the selecting device applies a change onto the content information to be outputted after a current time point. For example, if the destination is xe2x80x9cKUJUKURIHAMA (KUJUKURI-beach)xe2x80x9d and the movement of the movable body is behind the schedule, one or a plurality of content information related to the xe2x80x9coceanxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cseaxe2x80x9d may be added onto the music composition list or the like. Alternatively, if the destination is xe2x80x9cKUJUKURIHAMA (KUJUKURI-beach)xe2x80x9d and the movement of the movable body is ahead of the schedule, one or a plurality of content information related to the xe2x80x9coceanxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cseaxe2x80x9d may be deleted on the music composition list or the like. Especially as mentioned before, in case that the selecting device determines the output order such that the content information having a higher relational degree to the destination among the plurality of content information is outputted in vicinity of the destination, even if a certain deviation occurs in the necessary time length, it is still possible to maintain such a plan that the content information having the higher relational degree to the destination is outputted in vicinity of the destination, by performing the addition or deletion on the music composition list in this manner.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes in the above described electronic system for the movable body of the present invention, the method processes provided with: a selecting process of selecting the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling process of controlling the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting process, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.
According to the program storage device, the above described controlling apparatus for controlling the electronic system of the present invention can be relatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes the program of instructions from the program storage device such as a CD-ROM (Compact Discxe2x80x94Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (DVD Read Only Memory), a hard disc or the like, or as it executes the program of instructions after downloading the program through communication device. Moreover, the program of instructions can be sent from a server device together with an application program required for the navigation or the audio and/or video outputting, or other data such as map data, audio information data, video information data and so on.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes in the above described electronic system for the movable body of the present invention, the method processes provided with: a selecting process of selecting the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling process of controlling the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting process, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.
According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloads the program in the computer data signal through a computer network or the like, and executes this program, it is possible to realize the above described controlling apparatus for controlling the electronic system of the present invention.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the above described electronic system for the movable body of the present invention provided with the above described controlling apparatus of the present invention (including its various aspect).
According to the electronic system for the movable body of the present invention, since it is provided with the controlling apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement state of the movable body.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a controlling method of controlling the above described electronic system for the movable body of the present invention, the controlling method provided with: a selecting process of selecting the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling process of controlling the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting process, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.
According to the controlling method for controlling the electronic system of the present invention, in the same manner as in the above described controlling apparatus of the present invention, in the electronic system provided with the information outputting apparatus and the navigation apparatus, it is possible to perform the audio output and/or the video output appropriate for the movement state of the movable body.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.